Pine Tree ISD Football Coaching Staff 2022

Jacob Holder – Athletic Director

Coach Holder is originally from Rowlett, TX.  After playing football at Ouachita Baptist University, Coach Holder began his teaching and coaching career at Rockwall High School in 2006.  He joined Pine Tree in 2019 after short stints at Mount Vernon as the defensive coordinator, Grapevine as a defensive backs coach, and North Forney as the defensive coordinator.  He and his wife, Megan, have two kids.  The Holders are excited to be a part of the Pine Tree Family!

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Jason Bachman - Assistant Athletic Director
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Coach Jason Bachman is the head football coach.  He came to Pine Tree from Calvary Baptist Academy where he was offensive coordinator and coached in two state championships. Coach Bachman went to Evangel Christian Academy where he played in four state championships.  Following high school, he attended Louisiana Tech University.  This is Coach Bachman’s 6th year coaching at Pine Tree. He is recently married to his wife Emily.  They are proud to be Pine Tree Pirates! 

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Alex Barron

Alex Barron is a 2006 New Diana Graduate.  Coach Barron and his wife Dulce have an 11 year old daughter named Aliya.  From Longview, TX, he attended Pine Tree from pre-K to 11th grade.  While at New Diana, he was 1st Team All-State, All East Texas, and All-District Kicker in 2005.  He still holds the class 2A Texas State record for the longest field goal at 57 yards.  Coach Barron attended UT Arlington, majoring in Kinesiology.  He played 5 seasons of professional arena football for the Texas Rattlers, Mesquite Wranglers, and Texas Revolution.  This year will be his 6th year as football special teams coach, assistant soccer, and head goalie coach. 

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Matthew Bryant

Coach Bryant is from Gilmer, TX.  He attended the University of Texas at Tyler and earned a Bachelor’s of Science, majoring in History with a minor in Social Studies.  Coach Bryant has ten years coaching experience.  Coach Bryant has been married to his wife Amanda for 10 years and they have a daughter named Elizabeth and a son named Turner.  He likes to spend time with his family and likes to hunt and fish as much as he can.  He absolutely loves coaching and the game of football; it provides a wonderful opportunity for many of our young men.

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Wayne Daniels

Coach Daniels is a graduate of Kilgore High School and Texas Christian University.  He played defensive end for the Horned Frogs and was a member of the 2011 Rose Bowl Championship team.  He was also a 2010 College All-American.  Coach Daniels will be teaching PE at Birch Elementary for Pine Tree.  He coaches football, basketball, and track.  Coach Daniels and his wife Meghan have 2 boys; a 4 year old son named Titan and 2 year old Legend. 

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Larry Denkins M.Ed., LAT – Head Athletic Trainer

Coach Denkins is from Longview, TX and is an alumnus of Pine Tree High School.  He attended East Texas Baptist University and received his B.S. in Athletic Training.  Coach Denkins received his Master of Education from Concordia University in Austin.  He has been an Athletic Trainer at Pine Tree since the Fall of 2008. Coach Denkins and his wife Rachael have two dogs, Leo (3 years old) and Momo (10 years old). 

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Rachael Denkins MS, LAT, ATC – Assistant Athletic Trainer

Coach Denkins is from Port Aransas, TX and attended Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi where she received her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training.  She received her Master of Science with and Athletic Administration concentration from Texas A&M University-Commerce. This is her eighth year at Pine Tree as a proud Pine Tree Pirate!  Her previous experience includes working with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s men’s basketball, men & women’s track and cross country, and various high school sports at Mary Carroll High School. Coach Denkins and her husband Larry have two pups that they adore, Momo (10) and Leo (3). 

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Brad Drust

Coach Brad Drust is beginning his ninth year as a football coach, with this being his first year as an assistant at Pine Tree High School.  Prior to joining the Pine Tree staff this year, he coached football and baseball at Paris ISD (2019-2021), Eldorado HS in Eldorado, IL (2015-2018), and in Carterville, IL (2014).  Coach Drust was a three-sport athlete at Carterville High School, where he was a four-year varsity letterman in football, basketball, and baseball.  Coach Drust is a graduate from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education/Teaching and was a Division I pitcher for the Salukis.

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Cody Ellis

Coach Ellis is our Strength & Conditioning Director and is in his 17th year coaching at the High School and Collegiate level.  He holds a Master of Education in Kinesiology from the University of Texas at Tyler.  He is certified by the USAW as a Sports Performance Coach and the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Performance Enhancing Specialist.  Coach Ellis is also Safe Sport Certified and has completed the USADA Coach’s Advantage Program.  This allows Coach Ellis to become 1 of 75 Strength Coaches in the State of Texas to be named in the directory for the United States of America Weightlifting. Coach Ellis is also a member of the National High School Strength Coaches Association where he has been nominated as NHSSCA Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022.  Ellis is also a member of the National Strength & Conditioning Association.  He played baseball at Tyler Junior College and the University of Arkansas at Monticello.  He returned to coach at Tyler Junior College after graduation from UAM and won a National Championship in 2007 as an assistant coach.  Ellis has been a Strength & Conditioning Director at Henderson ISD, Brownsboro ISD, and also Frankston ISD.  Coach Ellis and his wife Allison have a 14 year old daughter named Cadence and a 5 year old son named Cannon.

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Zachariary Griffin

Pronounced Zachariary (Zach-a-ri-yah), Coach Griffin is from Beaumont, Texas.  He is a graduate of East Texas Baptist University and will be entering his 5th year at Pine Tree. Griffin will be teaching Physical Education and Health, while coaching varsity girl’s basketball, as well as junior high football and track. 

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Brandon Hampton

Brandon Hampton is the Defensive Coordinator and Outside Linebackers Coach.  Coach Hampton is originally from Eldorado IL.  He graduated from Greenville University (IL) with a degree in Special Education.  Coach Hampton enters his 22nd year in coaching - his first at Pine Tree.  His experience includes both collegiate and high school stops in Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, and Illinois.  Prior to arriving at Pine Tree this Spring, Hampton served as the Defensive Coordinator at Paris High School (TX) for 4 seasons.  During that span, the Wildcats won 11 playoff games and were Regional Finalists in 2020.  Prior to Paris, Hampton served as the Head Football Coach at Eldorado High School (IL) for 9 seasons.  Hampton’s teams reached the postseason in 6 of 9 years.  In 2016, Eldorado won back-to-back district titles for the first time in school history and won their first playoff game in 28 years. That season, Coach Hampton was named Southern Illinois Coach of the Year.  Coach Hampton and his wife Ginger of 21 years have 2 daughters.  Hope (17) will attend Pine Tree High School, and Gracey Belle (12) will attend Pine Tree Middle School.  The Hampton family is excited to serve as part of the Pine Tree family.

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Alton Hawkins

Coach Hawkins is from Longview, TX.  He attended Henderson State University where he earned his B.S. in Business.  Coach Hawkins has been coaching for 29 years with 22 of those years at Pine Tree.  He has also coached at Mt. Pleasant HS.  Coach Hawkins was married to his late wife Deidre for 27 years, and their daughter Debra, and son Victor are both Pine Tree graduates.  He also has five grandchildren, Myrcall, Avery, Noah, Zayn and Lily.  Coach Hawkins is also a proud minister.   

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Taylor James

Coach James will be coaching safeties and track this year for Pine Tree.  He and his wife Erica and two sons named Braxton and Karter.  Coach James is a graduate of Winnfield Senior High School in Winnfield, Louisiana.  He played college football at Louisiana College.  He started his coaching career there, before going to Northwestern State University where he was a graduate assistant.  After Northwestern State, Coach James took a job as the Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma, Louisiana. He came over to Texas in 2020-21 taking a job at Woodville High School before coming to Pine Tree. 

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C.J. Kyle

Coach Kyle is an East Texas native graduating from Gilmer in 2007. He went on to study kinesiology at Stephen F. Austin State University. He began his coaching career in DeKalb, Texas before spending a few years on staff at Pine Tree then Ore City. When Coach Kyle is not at the field house with his Pirates, he is home spending time with his wife, Tiara, and 4 year old son, Carter and his new baby girl, Addi Mae. 

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Brock Lemire

Coach Lemire is a graduate of Nederland High School and attend college at Tyler Junior College, Lubbock Christian University and University of Texas at Tyler.  He received his Bachelors in Science with Kinesiology, and has coached baseball at All Saints, Brook Hill, Bullard and Tyler Junior College.  Coach Lemire was most recently the head baseball coach and assistant football at Grapeland ISD and is joining Pine Tree as head baseball and JH football coach.
 
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Trenady Offermann

Coach Offermann served over 17 years in the Air Force.  He was both an enlisted member (11 years) and a commissioned officer (6 years).  During that time, he served tours supporting contingency operations overseas in Italy, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, and Germany.  Coach Offermann earned four degrees while on active duty: Master's of Science in Sports Management (3.97 GPA); Bachelor's of Science in Social Psychology (3.94 GPA); Associate's of Applied Science in Information Systems Technology; and an Associate's of Applied Science in Criminal Justice. 

Coach Offermann has three daughters, who were born in 2002, 2004, and 2008.  His oldest is a Junior at BYU, and is currently on a church mission with plans to serve in Greece.  His younger daughters currently live with their mother in Georgia, and plan on attending the veterinary school at Texas A&M following high school graduation. 

Coach Offermann earned his teaching certification through an alternative teaching certification course, and began his teaching and coaching career at Pine Tree High School, where he taught Special Education and coached football (running backs), and was the boys Head Track and Field Coach from 2016-2019.  After leaving PTHS, he went to Victoria East High School, where he taught Special Education and coached football (Offensive Coordinator) and was the boys and girls Head Powerlifting Coach from 2019-2020.  From there, Coach Offermann went to Willis High School, where he taught Special Education and coached football (receivers) and girl's soccer from 2020-2021.

“I was very excited to return to the PTHS family, beginning the 2021-2022 school year, where I teach Special Education and coach football (running backs) and girl's track and field.  Happy to be home!”

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Kip Picarella

Coach Picarella (aka. Coach P.) and his wife Alyssa have two kids, Benjamin and Kassidy.  He attended East Texas Baptist University and received his B.S. in Athletic Training, as well as recently graduating with his Masters Degree from the University of Hawaii.  He has been an athletic trainer since 2013 and worked with sports teams ranging from Junior High to Professional athletes. He and his family are excited to be returning to the Pine Tree family! 

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Rodrick Portley

Coach Portley is entering his 18th year teaching and 7th year here at Pine Tree ISD. This year he will be teaching Uncommon Man and Math Models at the High School and will be at the Junior High as the Junior High Athletic Coordinator. Coach Portley is from Kilgore and attended Texas A&M Commerce where he graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in education.  He is currently working on his Master’s degree in Educational Counseling at San Angelo State University. Coach Portley’s wife Lori will be joining him at PTHS this year teaching Biology. He has two daughters, Adrian (24) and Dominque (26), two stepchildren, Grayson (16) and Addyson (12), and a grandbaby, Raven (1).  Coach Portley will coach JH football, Head Girl’s Powerlifting, Assistant Boy’s Powerlifting, and currently serves as the secretary and board member for Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association.  He’s excited to see what this season holds….GO PIRATES.

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Jeremiah Robertson

Coach Robertson will be coaching our wide receivers and serving as an assistant baseball coach along with teaching 7th grade Texas History. He is a graduate of Huntington High School and graduated college from East Texas Baptist University with a BSE degree in Kinesiology. Coach Robertson is married to his beautiful wife Kaleigh  who also coaches tennis here at PT. He is going into his 3rd year here at Pine Tree and he is excited to be a part of the Pine Tree Family.
 
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Steven Rockwell

Coach Rockwell is a 2007 graduate of Ore City HS.   He and his wife Kawaljulah have two handsome young boys Elijah (5) and Gabriel (2).  Coach Rockwell is entering his sixth year of coaching football and track at Pine Tree.  He also will be a Parent Liaison & At Risk Coordinator for the Pine Tree School District. He has previous coaching experience at Hawkins HS- defensive coordinator in (2016-17) and Ore City (2015-16).  At Ore City HS, Coach Rockwell was all-district and all-east Texas RB/LB.  He graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 2012 with a B.B.S. in Sports Fitness and Leisure Studies.  He was also a four-year starter on the football team and was selected All-Conference and All-Region RB.

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Brandon Rodgers

Brandon Rodgers, born and raised in East Texas, is excited to be joining the Pirate family as a teacher for Special Education and Assistant Coach for Varsity Football, Freshman Basketball, and Junior High Track for the 2022-2023 school year! Coach Rodgers earned his Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology from the University of North Texas in 2016, and has since obtained his certification in Early Childhood Education. He recently relocated from Denton, TX, where he and his family have lived for the past 10 years. His family includes his fiancé (Denei) and children (Kailynn – 12 years old, Aubrey – 11 years old, and his son, Avery – 5 years old).

Coach Rodgers has always felt a calling on his life for coaching and mentoring youth. For the past 11 years, he has enjoyed coaching AAU Basketball and Youth Football; competing all over the state of Texas. When he’s not coaching, he enjoys spending time with his family for movie nights, hiking, and playing sports with his kids. Coach Rodgers looks forward to this upcoming school year, where he can combine his purpose and his passion as a positive role model for the students at Pine Tree ISD. Go Pirates!

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Wesley Schoon

Coach Schoon is a graduate of Harmony High School. He played football and baseball at East Texas Baptist University (2012-13) and is a graduate of Tarleton State University where he majored in Kinesiology Fitness Management.  Coach Schoon and his wife Ashley married in March of 2022. He has two step children Hunter and Hudson.  He is going into his seventh year of teaching and coaching here at Pine Tree ISD. 

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Jordan Trahan

Coach Trahan will be coaching baseball and JH football this year for Pine Tree.  Coach Trahan graduated in 2015 from Dayton High School in Dayton, TX.  He then attended Tyler Junior College to play baseball. During his time at TJC he won two National Championships and a 2017 All- American.  After TJC, Trahan attended LSU-Shreveport where he finished his baseball career and received his bachelor's degree. 
He started his coaching career there, before going to TJC as a hitting coach.  After TJC, Coach Trahan took a job as the Head Coach at Tyler High School. This will be Coach Trahan’s first year here at Pine Tree.

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Jerrick Walker

Coach Walker was born and raised in Ore City, TX before eventually attending Linden-Kildare High School where he played football, basketball, baseball, tennis, and track and field. Coach Walker also was a state champion in triple jump during his time in Linden-Kildare.  Walker received a college scholarship to Rice University and played WR for the Owls from 2011-2013. Walker later attended Sterling College in Sterling, KS where he was a National Qualifier in Track and field. Walker graduated from Sterling College in May of 2018 with a degree in Sports Management.  Coach Walker is excited about the opportunity to coach football at Pine Tree JH and basketball at Pine Tree High this season and looks forward to a great year. 

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